Article assembling apparatus



April 8, 1952 c. J. HAcKBARn-l ARTICLE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. l1, 1945 /A/ VE N TOE C. J. HncKBn/e TH April 8, 1952 c. J. HACKBARTH ARTICLE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 11, 1945 /NVENTOE CJ. Hna/camera HTTOE/VEY QS N/IJ KMS ,Q

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ARTICLE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 11, 1945 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 m /N VEN TOE CIJ HACKER/9TH 5v M4N? A Za HTOIPNEY April 8. 1952 c. J. HACKBARTH ARTICLE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Jan. 11, 1945 /N VEN Toe CJ. Hacken/@TH HTTOENEY C. J. HACKBARTH ARTICLE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS April 8, 1952 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Jan. l1, 1945` Wmvm Patented Apr. 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,592,276 ARTICLE ASSEDIBLING APPARATUS Application January 11, 1945, Serial No. 572,419

6 Claims. (Cl. 153--1) This invention relates to article assembling paratus and more particularly to press operated apparatus for assembling the parts of double ended telephone cords. K

It is an object of the present invention to provide an efficient apparatus for rapidly assembling articles.

In -accordance with one embodiment of the invention ,an apparatus is provided wherein cooperatingV tools or dies on the movablehead and stationary platen of a punch press serve, in cooperation with a cordage supporting plate, which positions the individually insulated conductors comprising the multi-conductor core of the cordage and extending between adjacent ends of a braided covering for the cordage, to feed interconnected strips of partially formed binding Vand terminal elements to the cordage and to attach the binding and terminal elements to the cordage and to the conductors, respectively. Tools are also provided for cutting the conductors against the terminal elements and for cutting the binding elements and terminal elements from the interconnected strips thereof in the same stroke of the press which attaches the elements to the conductors and cordage.

A complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the following detailed description when considered in commotion with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a view partly in section and partly in side elevation showing a punch press mechanism which operates in timed relation to the operation of the movement of cord positioning plates for attaching terminals to the individually insulated conductors of a cord and for applying bands to prevent unravelling of the braded cov- .ering on the braid covered cord, the bands for preventing the braid from unravelling comprising S-hooks and stay bands; Y l

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan View on an en- -larged scale taken looking in the direction of the arrows along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 and showing a cord positioning plate in position to cooperate with the punch press;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view looking in the same direction as Fig. 2 with the cord positioning plate removed and showing the diedirectly beneath the cord positioning plate in the punch press;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional View taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows showing the upper and lower dies of the punch press in elevation, showing the cord positioning plate 2 L' in dot and dash lines between the dies, and showing parts of a means for positioning portions of the S-hooks to be applied to the braided cover. In this ligure, the dies are shown in their open position preparatory to performing their operations of attaching stay bands, S-hooks and terminals to the braided cover of the cord and tothe individual conductors forming the core of the cord;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View taken substantially along Athe line 5-5 of Fig. 1 inthe direction of the arrows showing part'of the mechanism for supporting a plate in the punch press;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Fig. 2 in the direction of thearrows showing the punch press dies in their closed position with the cord positioning plate between them;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 1--1 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows showing some details of the forming dies which attach the terminals to the individually insulated conductors of the core to which the terminals are fed in strip form;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows and is similar to Fig. 5 except that it shows the dies of the punch press in their open position;

Figs. 9 and 10 are fragmentary vertical sectional views taken substantially along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8 is the direction of the arrows and showing the dies in their open and closed positions, respectively Figs. 11 and l2 are fragmentary vertical sec- -tional views taken substantially along the line I I--H of Fig. 8 in the direction of the arrows and showing the terminal attaching dies in their open and closed positions, respectively;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially along the line |3-I3 of Fig. 8 in thedirection of the arrows and showing a means for retaining a portion of the S-hook in proper alignment during the attachment thereof to the braid covering of a cord after the S-hook has be en sheared from its strip;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line l4|4 of Fig. 6 in the direction of the arrows showing some details of= construction of the upper die mechanism of A.the punch press and also showing some details of the feed mechanism for feeding the terminals in strip form to the punch and die mechanism;

Fig. 15 is a detail view of the interconnected strip of terminals fed to the conductors to which they are to be attached showing the conductors in dot and dash lines prior to the attachment of the terminals to them and the cutting of the conductors;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line IS--IG of Fig. 8 showing some details of the mechanism for feeding the S-hooks to the punch press in strip form;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary plan view taken substantially along the line |1-l1 of Fig. 16 in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 16 and taken at the same place that Fig. 16 was taken but showing the dies in their closed position;

Figs. 19 and 20 are fragmentary detail. sectional views taken along the lines I9-IS and 20-'20 ofFig. 16 and showing the means for guiding portions of the S-hooks into position to be attached to the cords;

Fig. 21 is a View of the underside of the upper die of the punch press taken substantially along the line 2I-2I of Fig. 4 in the direction of the arrows; Y

Fig. 22 is a detail view of the adjoining ends of two cords to which stay bands, S-hooks and terminals have been attached in the apparatus, and

Fig. 23 is a fragmentary plan view of the upper portion of the press showing some details of a control mechanism.

The specic embodiment of the invention i1- lustrated herein is adapted to cooperate with a processing or article forming apparatus of the `type shown in detail and claimed in the copending application of R. T. Adams and J. A. Wagner, Serial No. 730,512, filed February 24, 1947, as a continuation-impart of R. T. Adams and J. A.

Wagner application Serial No. 572,414, led Janly insulated conductors are thrown out through the cordage. In the apparatus of the present invention, terminal members 36-36, as shown most clearly in Fig. 22, are adapted to be sheared from a strip of partially formed terminal members 31 (Fig. 21) and attached to the individually insulated conductors 3|, 32 and 33. A strip 33 of partially formed S-hooks is also fed into the apparatus and S-hooks 39 are sheared from the strip and are attached to the cordage adjacent one of the points where the individually insulated conductors 3l, 32 and 33 extend out of the end of the braid cover 34, and stay bands 40 are sheared from an interconnected strip of partially formed stay bands 4I and are attached to the cordage at the point where the individually insulated conductors extend from the braid cover opposite the point where the S-hook 39 is attached to the cordage.

age, which includes a motor 42 mounted upon the upper end of a housing assembly 43, which is, in turn, supported by a main supporting base 44. The main supporting base 44 has a main base casting 45 mounted on it for supporting a tubular bearing member 46, in which a main drive shaft 41 is journalled for rotation. The main drive shaft 41 is interconnected with the motor 42 by a coupling 48 and drives gearing, including beveled pinions 49 and 50, which, through suitable gearing, drive a ring gear 5I attached to a dial supporting casting 52 journalled on the outer surface of the tubular bearing member 46, a thrust bearing 53 being provided for supporting the casting 52.

The dial supporting casting 52 serves to support a plurality of cord positioning plates 35, which comprise, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, a main plate framework 54, on which there are slidably positioned clamp supporting plates 55 and 56 and on which there are xed two main fixed clamping members 51 and 58 and two main movable clamping members 59 and 60, together with two auxiliary movable clamping members 6l and 62 and two auxiliary fixed clamping members 63 and 64. These xed and movable clamping members serve to position cordage in the manner shown in Fig. 2, where individually insulated conductors 3|, 32 and 33 extend between two cord locating combs 65 and 6G, which have guide ngers 61 extending upwardly from them to assist in positioning the cordage so that the conductors 3|, 32 and 33 may be positioned in notches 68, 69 and 16 on a die bar 1I. The extending end of the cordage 30, which is looped back toward the center of the processing apparatus, may be held in suitable clamps 12 and 13, which are xed to the side of the main plate framework 54.

While the details of construction 0f the cord positioning plate 35 as thus generally described will serve to position the cordage to be operated upon by the apparatus of the present invention,

' it will be understood that other positioning means (not shown) may be provided which would hold the cordage 30 and the individually insulated conductors 3 I, 32 and 33 in a similar position and that the mechanism described is simply illustrative of one type which will cooperate with the apparatus of the present invention.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the framework 54 has a pair of locating-.pin receiving apertures 14 and 15 formed in it to receive locating pins, as will be described hereinafter, which serve to properly locate the plate in position with respect to the tools of the present apparatus. In its travel around the bearing 46, the cord positioning plate 35 is supported upon a carriage 16 (Figs. 1 and 5), which is normally held against a stop member 11 by a door check mechanism 18, which, through its operating arm 19, tends to hold the carriage 16 against the stop member 11. The plate 35 is fixed to a supporting bracket 80, which is slidably mounted with respect to the carriage 16. The carriage 16 comprises a cross plate 8l formed integrally with a pair of forwardly extending portions 82 and 83 (Fig. 5). The supporting bracket 80 is slidably mounted between the two forwardly extending portions 82 and 83 of the carriage 16 and has a cross rib 84 formed integrally with it which extends out over the cross plate 8l. A pair of bolts 85 extend through the rib 84 and cross plate '8l and are surrounded by compression springs 86, which are interposed between the rib 84 and cross plate 8| normally to hold the bracket 80 in its upper position, as shown in Fig. 5, the

-springs 86 being compressible in the operation of the punch press to permit the cord positioning plate 35 to move downwardly. Mounted on the forwardly extending portion 82 of the carriage 16 is a bracket 88, carrying a camming nger 01, the purpose of which will become apparent as the description progresses. In addition to the camming nger 81, the bracket 88 has a socket 88 formed in it, by means of which the carriage 16 may be latched in position in the punch press, as will be described hereinafter,

The apparatus of the present invention comprises a punch press, designated generally by the numeral (Fig. 1). As illustrated generally in-this gure, the punch press is provided with a driving motor |02, which is mounted at the top of a standard |83 and, through a driving element |04, which may be either a chain drive or belt drive, imparts rotation to the punch press fly wheel |05, as is usual in such apparatus. The punch press motor |82 may be supplied with power from a suitable power source (not shown) and the motor |82 will continuously drive the fly Wheel |05.

The punch press |0| is provided with a trip solenoid (Fig. 1), which, upon operation, will trip the punch press mechanism to cause it to go through one complete cycle and then come to rest.4 This tripping mechanism may be of any suitable construction and, since the details of it are not pertinent to the present invention, they are not disclosed herein. Suitable control means are provided at the punch press |0| to be operated by the cord positioning plate 35 in moving into the punch press station to cause the I o energization of the solenoid ||5. This mechaynism may be of any suitable construction and has been shown herein as a switch ||6 (Fig. 2), the actuator button |1 of which lies in the path of a cam member ||8. The cam member ||8 is mounted upon a reduced shank I9 of a plunger |28 normally held in a retracted position opposite to that shown in Fig. 2 by a spring pressed latch |2|. The latch |2| is provided with a trip linger |22, positioned to be actuated by camming finger 81 when the carriage 16 moves into the punch press. The plunger |28 is slidable in a bracket |23 suitably mounted on the frame of the punch press and is provided with a socket |24, in which a compression spring |25 is seated in a position surrounding the shank ||9 and bearing against the base of the socket |24 and against .a plate |26. In this manner, the plunger |28 is normally urged into the socket 89 in bracket 88 on the carriage 16. The amount of movement of the plunger |20 is limited by a collar |21 attached to the plunger and bearing against the plate |26. In addition to the collar |21, the .shank ||9 of the plunger has collar |28 attached to it, which is adapted to be engaged by the bifurcated end of a restoring lever |29, which, as will be described hereinafter, is operative to move the plunger against the action of the spring |25 ,to a position where it may be latched in a retracted position by the latch I2 I.

As pointed out hereinbefore, the operation of the trip solenoid ||5 will cause the punch press `to go through one complete cycle and then stop. In going through its complete cycle, the punch press will impart one complete rotation to a drive shaft |38 (Fig. 1) and through connections of the type usual inpunch press mechanisms will impart one reciprocation to a ram |3| (Figs. l i, and 4). The shaft |30 carries a restoring cam A`. 32,(Fig, 23) in position to engagea cam roller "|33`m'ounted upon a lever |34. The lever |34 6 is'xed to a shaft |35 (Fig. 23) which is mounted for limited rotation in a bracket |36 and which has a lever |31 xed to it adjacent its lower end. The lever |31 has pivotally connected thereto a link |38 and the end of the link opposite to the lever |31 is pivotally connected to the restoring lever |20 which is pivoted on the bracket |23. At the completion of a cycle of operation of the punch press |0|, the cam |32 will be elective to restore the latching plunger |20 to normal position opposite to that shown in Fig. 2, and will also be eiective to permit switch ||6 to open, thus releasing the solenoid ||5, just prior to the release of the carriage 18 by plunger |28.

The punch press |0| is mounted upon the main supporting base 44 (Fig. l) and, in addition to thestandard |83, includes a base |45, on which a base plate |46 is mounted to support a bolster `plate |41 to which there are ,secured a pair of clamp plates. |48 and |49 (Fig. 4) for holding a tool supporting plate |58 in position on the bolster plate |41. The tool supporting plate |50 has four shouldered apertures |5||5| formed in it for receiving tubular supporting plungers |52-|52 provided with suitable shoulders vcooperating with the shoulders in the apertures |5||5| to prevent upward movement of the plungers beyond a predetermined height. The lower ends of the apertures 5|| 5| are threaded to receive plugs |537-I53, which serve to hold compression springs in the plungers |52- |52 for urging the plungers to carry their shoulders into engagement with the shoulders in the shouldered apertures |5|-|5|. These plungers |52 are so positioned that they tend to support a cord positioning plate 35 in an elevated position and also serve to guide the plate 35 when it is moved downwardly in the operation of the punch press so that it will not tend to tilt at an angle and tend to bind on the carriage 16.

The tool supporting plate |58, in addition to supporting the plungers |52-|52, also supports a pair of liner sleeves |55 and |56 in alignment with liner pins |51 and |58 (Figs. 1 and 21) carried by the head of the press in a manner to be described hereinafter. The liner pins 51 and |58, in cooperation with the liner sleeves |55 and |58, serve to properly position the cord positioning plate 35 in the punch press and compensate for any wear or slight variations in the position to which the plate is moved.

Mounted upon the tool supporting plate |50 is a tool base carrying a tool holding block |60 (Figs. 3, 4 and 6) in which are positioned terminal cutting tools or punches |6|, |62 and |63, wire cutting tools or punches |64 to |69, terminal forming tools |10 to |15, a stay band forming tool |16, and an S-hook forming tool |11. These tools are adjustably mounted in the tool holding block |68 and cooperate with other tools on the head of the press to cut the terminals from the strip 31, shown in Fig. 15, form the terminals around the conductors 3|, 32 and, 33, shear the conductors against the surface of the individual terminal members 36, shear the stay bands and S-hooks from a part of the formed strips thereof, and attach the stay bands and S-hooks to cordage 30 adjacent the points where the braid 34 has been severed.

The upper surface of the block |60 is cut away as shown at |88 (Figs. 3 and 6) to receive the conductors 3 32 and 33 when the plate 35 is moved downwardly in the operation of the punch press, from the .position shown in Fig. 8 to the position shown in Fig. 6. Cutouts are formed in the' other portions of the block |60 to accommodate portions of the plate when the plate is moved by the punch press.

In the punch press, the forming tools |16 and |11 for forming stay bands and S-hooks and the terminal forming tools |10, |1|, |12, |13, |14 and |15 are provided with shoulders I8 8 I as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 11, for cooperation with shoulders |82|82 formed in the block |60 to position the forming tools in the block, the base of the tools resting on the tool base |44. The terminal forming tools |10, |1| and |12 are formed on the upper end of a tool blank |83, as illustrated in Fig. 1l and this blank is provided with the shoulders |8|, which serve to position it on the tool base |44. The stay band forming tool |16, as shown most clearly in Figs. 6 and 8, is positioned in a conforming aperture |84 in the block in position to engage the cordage 30 just to the left (Figs. 6 and 8) of the comb 65. The S-hook forming tool |11 is positioned in an aperture |85 in the block |60 in position to engage the cordage 38 just to the right of the cord.. age locating comb 66. The tool blank |83 is positioned in an aperture |84 adjacent the left side of the die bar 1|, and a tool blank |86, similar to the tool blank |83, is mounted in an aperture |81 positioned to hold the tool just to the right of the die bar 1|.

Since the cutting tools |64, |65, |66, |61, |68 and |69 will become dulled after operating for a time, these tools are mounted in the manner illustrated most clearly in Fig. 6. As shown in this figure, the wire cutting tools or punches |65 and |66 have their upper ends formed to comprise knife blades and have tapered surfaces |89 and |90 adapted to be engaged by cooperating angularly disposed surfaces |9| and |92 on adjusting members |93 and |94, which are freely slidable in apertures |95 and |96 formed in the tool base |44. While only the adjusting members |93 and |94 for the wire cutting tools |65 and |66 are shown in full in Fig. 6, there are provided three adjusting members |93 and three adjusting members |94 operating on tools disposed at op posite sides of the die bar 1|, as indicated by the dotted line showing the adjusting members |93 and |94, which cooperate with the wire cutting tools |64 and |61. The adjusting members |93 and |94 are mounted in staggered relation in the tool base |44 and are adapted to be actuated by threaded plugs |91-|91, which are threaded into the tool base |44 and are attached to the adjusting members |93 and |94, but freely rotatable with respect to the adjusting members. After the wire cutting tools |64 to |69, inclusive, have been adjusted to the proper height, where they will cut the Wires of conductors 3|, 32 and 33 against their associated terminals, the cutting tools may be locked in place by set screws |98- |98, which are threaded into the tool base |44 and have reduced shank portions |99 movable to bear against the Wire cutting tools, thus to lock them in place.

Since it is also necessary to adjust the height of the terminal cutting tools or punches to compensate for wear in these members, the punches are adjustably supported in the manner shown most clearly in Figs 6, 7 and 14. As shown in these figures, particularly in Figs. 7 and 14, the bottoms of the terminal cutting tools or punches |5|, |92 and |63 are cut at a slight angle to the horizontal and grooves 2|0, 2|| and 2|2 are formed in the punches |6|, |62 and |63, respectively, disposed at the same angle to the horizontal as the bottom of the punches. The bottoms'of the punches rest upon a tapered shoulder 2|3 of a positioning member 2|4. which is slidable in the tool base |44. Cooperating with the positioning member 2 |4 is a retaining member 2|5, which has a tapered projection 2|6, which enters the slots 2|0, 2|| and 2|2 in the punches |6|, |62 and |63 and serves to hold the punches against the tapered shoulder ,2 |3 oi the positioning member 2| 4. Fixed to the tool supporting plate |50 are a pair of U-shaped yokes 2|1 and 2|8, as shown most clearly in Figs. 3 and 14. These yokes have their bases threaded to receive set screws 2|9 and 220, which bear against the retainer member 2|5 and positioning member 2|4, respectively. By proper manipulation of the set screws 2 9 and 220, the height of the punches or terminal cutting tools |6|, |62 and |63 may be adjusted with a high degree of accuracy.

Suitably attached to the ram |3| is a tool holder 226, which is provided with a shank 221 (Fig. 4) extending upwardly into the ram of the press whereby the tool holder may be attached to the ram. The tool holder is cut out as shown most clearly in Fig. 6, to receive tool positioning members 228 and 229, which serve to support the stay band forming and shearing tools 232 and 233 and tool positioning members 230 and 23 which serve to position the S-hook forming and shearing tool 234. The tool positioning members 228, 229, 230 and 23| are held in place in the tool holder 226 by a guide plate 235 and the members 229 and 23| are provided with apertures of smaller size than the apertures in the plates 228 and 230, as illustrated by the aperture 236 in plate 23| (Fig. 16) whereby the plates 229 and 23| cooperate to hold the tools 232, 233 and 234 in the tool holder 226.

In addition to the cutouts for receiving the tool positioning plates 228 to 23| and the upper ends of tools 232, 233 and 234, the tool holder 226 is cut out as shown at 241 (Figs. 6 and 14) to receive scrap cut from the interconnected strips 31 of terminals 36 by the terminal cutting tools |6|, |62 and |63 in cooperation with a die 231 carried on the end of a die block 238, which is provided with apertures in alignment with the apertures in the die 231. The die block 238 is provided with shoulders 239 (Fig. 14), which nest in cooperating shoulders in the guide plate 235 to accurately position the die block with respect to the terminal cutting tools or punches |6|, |62 and |63. The cutout 241 formed in the tool holder 226 is in alignment with a scrap receiving tube 244 and communicates with a downwardly extending passage 240 through which the scrap will be pushed by the terminal cutting tools or punches. The right end of the cutout 241 is reduced as shown at 24| and is in communication with a hose or pipe connection 242, which may be connected to a suitable source of compressed air whereby the scrap pushed up into the cutout 241 may be blown out through the scrap-receiving tube 244-244. In order to prevent the scrap from being carried straight upwardly against the upper surface of the cutout 241 in such manner that it would tend to jam the passage, a breaker blade 243, as shown in Fig. 6, is set into the cutout 241 to disengage the pieces of scrap one from another so that they will be blown out through the scrap receiving tube 244.

Also positioned in the tool holder 226. as shown most clearly in Figs. 6 and 14, are two sets of tool positioning slides 248, 249, 250 and 25|. The tool positioning slides 248 and 250 are positioned between the upper surface of the guide plate 235 and the bottom surface of a slot 252 in the tool holder 226, whereas the tool-positioning slides 249 and 25| are positionedbetween the upper surface of the plate 235 and the bottom surface of a slot 253 in the tool holder v226. These tool positioning slides are similar to the positioning member and retaining member 2|4 and 2|5, which adjustably position the punches |6|, |62 and |63 with respect to the tool holding block |60 and are adjustably positioned by means of set screws 254-254 threaded into the tool holder 226. As illustrated most clearly in Fig. 14, the tool positioning slide 249 is provided with a tapered projecting portion 256, which engages the base of a terminal forming tool 251 and cooperates with a tapered projecting portion 258 on the slide 25| to position the terminal forming tool 251. The terminal forming tool 251 has a slot 259 cut in it to receive the tapered projecting portion 258 of the slide 25|. A terminal forming tool 260, similar to the tool 256, may be locked in position with respect to the tool holder by means of the slides 248 and 250 in a manner similar to that described for positioning the terminal forming member 251.

The lower end of the terminal forming tool 260, as shown most clearly in Fig. 11, is provided with a plurality of forming surfaces 26|, 262 and 263, which cooperate with the terminal forming tools |10, |1| and |12 on the tool blank |83 to wrap conductor engaging portions of the terminal members 36 around the insulated conductors 3|, 32 and 33. The terminal members as stated earlier in the description are fed to the appa-- ratus in strip form, as shown at 31 (Fig. 21). An enlarged view of these terminals is shown in Fig. 15, wherein the terminals are shown as being partly formed and interconnected by a strip 264. In this view, the terminals are shown arranged over the punches |6I, |62 and |63, the edge portions of which appear just outsideV the edges of the strip 264. Each of the terminals 36 in the strip 38 has a U-shaped portion 265 and when the terminals are interconnected in the strip 31, the connecting strips 264 interconnect portions of the terminal which are to be cut, along the dotted lines, by the punches |6I, |62 and |63. The individual terminals 31 thus, in the operation of the apparatus, will be separated one from another by the co-action ofthe punches |6|, |62 and |63 with the die 231, and the sleeve portion of the terminals, as indicated at 266, will be pressed onto the individually insulated conductors 3|, 32 and 33 through the co-action of the terminal forming tools |10, 1| and 12 and the forming surfaces 26|, 262 and 263 of tool 260.

As fed to the apparatus, the sleeve portions 266 of the terminals are partially formed, being of U-shaped conguration, and having lV-shaped notches 261 and 258 formed in them to deform a triangular portion of the sleeve 266 so that it will extend into the interior of the U-shaped sleeve 266, and when the sleeve is forced onto a conductor, the inwardly projecting tips will pass through the insulation on the conductors and Contact the core of conducting material therein.

The strip of S-hooks 38 (Figs. 4, and 16 to 21) comprises a plurality of U-shaped sleeve portions 210 interconnected by and integral with a feed strip 21|. This feed strip serves to interconnect the S-hcok sleeves 210 and aids in the guiding of them through the apparatus. At the end of each of the U-shaped sleeves opposite to the part where they are connected `to the feed strip 21|, the sleeve is deformed slightly;(Figs.,1,9 and 20) to permit the attachment thereto of an S-shaped hook 212 in such manner that when the S-hooks are attached to a cord and wrapped around the outer layer of insulation on the cord, the S-hook will not damage the cord or be bound so tightly in place that it cannot be moved slightly to facilitate the attachment of the cord to a supporting element in a piece of .electrical apparatus in which the cord is to be used. y The stay bands 40 are formed in a manner somewhat similar to the S-hooks, as illustrated most clearly in Figs. 9, 10 and 21, in that they are formed integrally with a connecting strip 213 and have cord engaging sleeve portions 214 and attaching portions 215. In the stay band, the attaching portion 215 comprises a hook, which is in alignment with the sleeve portion, and thus the stay bands 40 are, unlike S-hooks 39, at-v tached together adjacent their head portions.

Suspended from the tool holder 2 26 (Figs. 4 and 21) by means of a plurality of headed'bolts 285-285 and 286-236 isa stripper plate assem.- bly 281, which is normally lurged to assume the position shown in Fig. 4 by compression springs 288, which bear against an upper surface of a main stripper plate 289, and are seated in .pockets 290 formed in thevtool holder 22B in position where they surround the bolts 285. The lower ends of the bolts 285-285 and 286-286 are threaded into the main stripper plate 289 and their heads rest on shoulders 29|-29,| and 292-292 formed in apertures 293-293 and 294-294, respectively, in which the `bolts 285-285 and 286-285 are slidable.y In this manner, the compression springs 288 normally urge the stripper plate assembly 281 to assume the position shown in Fig. 4, but when the plate 'en-v gages the cord positioning plate 35 onthe downwardV stroke of the ram |3|, the stripper plate assembly may move relatively upwardly with respect to the ram and tool holder 226. Y

'I he stripper plate assembly 281 carries three brackets 296, 291 and 298 (Figs. 16, 4 and 14), respectively, in which are mounted bell crank levers 299, 300 and 30|, which are operable to feed the S-hook strip 38, the stay band strip 4|, and the strip of terminal members 31 step by step into the apparatus. The bell crank lever 299 is piv'.- oted on a pivot pin 302 and is normally urged to rotate in a clockwise direction by a contractile spring 303, one end of which is attached to the bell crank lever and the other end of which is attached to a pin` 394 in an auxiliary bracket 305 mounted on the main stripper plate 289.

rThe amount of rotation imparted to the bell crank lever 299 is limited by a pair of set screws 306 and; 301 threaded into cross members-308 and 309 of the z bracket 296. The bell crank .299 is adapted to be-rocked counter-clockwise against the action of the spring 303 each time the ram 3| moves to its lowermost position dueto 'the engagement of the left end (Figs. 16 and4). qf the bell crank lever 299 with an abutment post 3|!) fixed in a suitable bracket3|| attached to a stationary portion of the press 312. The end of the bell crankfle'ver 299, which extends a substantially vertical direction, carries a yfeed pawl 3 3 pivotally mounted on a pin 3 4, attached to the lever 299.l Thefeed pawlv 3|3 `is normally urged to rotate clockwise by a contractile spring 3| 5 attached to the left end of the pawl 3|3 (Fig. 16) andl to the bell crank lever 299. Thisvpawl is adapted to engagev one` of the sleeve portions 210 of an S-hookand force it to the rightgQFig. 16), each time the- .belgl-crank 299 is actuated-.by itsengagement withthe abutment` post-3| Fiyioted on a pin 3|6 mounted in the auxiliary bracket 304 is a retainer pawl 3|1, which is resiliently urged to rock clockwise by a compression spring 3|8 interposed between the left end of the pawl 3|1 (Fig. 16) and the base of a socket 3|9 formed in the plate 289. This retainer pawl 3|1 will engage the sleeve portion of the S-hooks to prevent their retraction when the spring 303 retracts the bell crank lever 299 to its normal position.

' As illustrated most clearly in Fig. 4, the interconnected strip 38 of S-hooks 39, adjacent to the point where it engages the stripper plate assembly 281 is fed into the apparatus with the S- shaped hook 212 up on the top of the sleeve portion 210 of each S-hook 39. Formed integrally with or suitably attached to the plate 289 is a guide member 328, which is shaped as shown in Fig. 19 to move the S-shaped hook 212 from its full line position to its dotted line position, where the hook will rest upon a guide surface 329. The plate 289 has a slot 330 (Figs. 19 and 20) formed in it for receiving and guiding the sleeve portions 210 of the S-hooks 39 and the lower end of the slot 330 is closed by a plate 33| on which the sleeve portion-210 of the S-hooks slide in their travel to alignment with the S- hook forming and shearing member 234. The forming and shearing tool 234 is formed as shown most clearly in Figs. 8, 13, 16 and 18, that is, a rounded notch 332 is formed on its lowest surface for engaging and forming the sleeve portion 210 of the S-hook 39. At the center of the rounded notch 332, the lower end of the tool 234 has a slot 333 formed in it (Figs. 8 and 13), into which the hook 212 may extend without damaging the hook during the forming of the sleeve 210 by the cooperative action of the S-hook forming tool |11 and the S-hook forming and shearing tool 234.

As will be apparent by reference to Figs. 8 and 13, the S-hook strip 38 is carried into the position to be operated upon by the tools in a position above the cordage 30. When the tool 234 moves downwardly with respect to the stripper plate assembly 281, the tool 234 will engage the S-hook sleeve 210 and the right hand edge (Fig. 8) of the tool 234 in cooperation with an edge 334 of the plate 289 will shear the S-hook from the feed strip 21| and will force the S-hook onto the cordage 30, carrying the severed S-hook from the position shown in Figs. 8 and 16 downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 18 and clamping the sleeve thereof around the cordage 30. In order to prevent the S-shaped hook 212 from dropping down under the sleeve 210, the hook 212 is resiliently supported by a pair of leaf springs 335 and 336, which extend into a slot 331 in the plate 289 (Fig. 13). Thus, the S-shaped hook 212 will be forced through between the springs 335 and 336 by an extending shoulder 338 formed on the tool 234 during the transference of the S- hook from the interconnected strip to clamping engagement with the cordage 30.

Attached to the underside of the main stripper plate 289, as shown in Fig. 14, is an auxiliary plate 34| having a. slot 342 formed in it for receiving the sleeve portions 2664 of the strip of terminal members 31. Resiliently mounted in a portion of the slot 342 in the plate 34| is a support plate 343, along the upper surface of which the joined together U-shaped portions 265 and strips 264 ride in the operation of the apparatus. Since, in the shearing of the individual terminal members 36 from the strip 31 the strip is flexed somewhat, this 12 resilient support plate is utilized to guide the strip 3T. The support plate 343 is resiliently mounted upon the base of the slot 342 in the auxiliary plate 34| by a plurality of compression springs 344 seated in opposed sockets 345 and 346 in the plate 34| and plate 343, respectively.

A similar feed mechanism to that described ln connection with the feeding of the S-hooks is provided for feeding the strip 31 of interconnected terminals 36 and this comprises a feed pawl 341 (Fig. 14) pivoted on the lower end of the substantially vertically extending arm of the bell crank lever 30|. `The bell crank lever is mounted on a pivot pin 348 mounted in the bracket 290 and its movement is limited by set screws 349 and 350 xed in the bracket 293. A contractile spring 35| attached to the bell crank lever 30| and to an auxiliary bracket 352 normally urges the bell crank lever to rock counterclockwise and a contractile spring 353 normally urges the feed pawl to rock counterclockwise. When the bell crank lever 30| is carried upwardly by the ram |3| moving upwardly, the substantially horizontally extending arm of the bell crank lever will engage an abutment post 354 (Fig. l) and the bell crank lever will thus be rocked clockwise (Fig. 14) against the action of the spring 35| to feed six terminal members 36 attached by the strips 264 into position to be attached to the individually insulated conductors 3|, 32 and 33. As the ram of the press moves downwardly, the spring 35| will return the pawl 341 and bell crank 30| to the position shown in Fig. 14 and during this returning of the pawl position to feed a new length of strip 31 to the apparatus, a retainer pawl 356 will prevent the strip 31 from being drawn to the right (Fig. 14) due t0 the engagement of its lowermost end with the strip 31'. The retainer pawl 356 is mounted in the auxiliary bracket 352, being pivoted on a pin 351 and being normally urged to rock counterclockwise by a compression spring 358,

As described hereinbefore, the scrap from the strip 31 of interconnected terminals is pushed up through the die block 238 and the scrap from the strip 38 of S-hooks, which, after the S-hooks have been sheared from it, comprises a continuous length of material, is fed out of the stripper plate assembly through a passage 365 (Fig. 21), which is, in effect, a continuation of the slot which received the feed strip 21| of the strip 38 of S- hooks, as shown in Figs. 19 and 20.

The mechanism for feeding the stay bands 40 into position to be clamped on the cordage 30 is similar to the mechanism utilized for feeding the terminals and S-hooks and comprises, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4, the bell crank lever 300 pivoted on a pivot pin 366 mounted in the bracket 291. A pair of set screws 361 and 360 limit the rocking movement of the bell crank lever 300, which is urged to rock clockwise by a contractile spring 369 attached to the bell crank lever and to an auxiliary bracket 310. The substantially vertically extending arm of the bell crank lever 300 has pivotally mounted upon it a feed pawl 31| urged into engagement with the stay band strip 4| by a contractile spring 312. A retainer pawl 313, pivoted in the auxiliary bracket 310, and urged into engagement with the stay band strip by a compression spring 314, prevents the strip 4| from being drawn backward by the pawl 31| when the pawl 31| moves to the right (Fig. 4). Feeding movement, that is, clock- 'wise movement, is imparted to the bell crank lever '300 by an abutment post 315 as the ram |3| of the press approaches its uppermost position. The bell crank lever 300 will thus be eiective to feed one stay band into position over the cordage 30 each time the ram |3| approaches its uppermost position. IThe strip of stay bands 4| is carried into position to be attached to the cordage 30 by cooperating surfaces on the plate 283 and a guide plate 316 (Fig. 4), a slot 311 (Figs. 8, 9 and 21) being formed in the main stripper plate 289 to receive the sleeve portions 214 of the stay bands and a slot 318 (Fig. 8) being formed by cooperating portions of the plate 316 and the main stripper plate 289 to receive the attaching portions 215 of the stay bands. The iiattened portion of the stay bands comprising attaching portion 215 and the connecting strip 213 extend into the slot 318, whereby the strip 4| of stay bands is carried to position over the cordage. As will be apparent by reference to Figs. 8, 9 and 12, the stay band shearing tool 233 cooperates with side walls 319 and 388 of the aperture 38| in the main stripper plate 289, in which the tools 232 and 233 are slidable to cut the stay band from its connecting strip 213 after the sleeve portion of the stay band has encircled the cordage 30. The stay bands will thus be sheared from the strip 213 and on the next feed stroke of the feed pawl 31 I, the extending end of the connecting strip 213, from which a stay band has been sheared, will enter into a passageway 382 (Fig. 21) in the plate 289 and will be carried out of the stripper plate assembly in this manner, the sheared-off lengths of connecting strips 213 being pushed through passageway 382 upon the entrance of a succeeding length attached to the strip 4|.

When the ram |3| of the press moves downwardly to perform the various shearing and attaching operations, the cord positioning plate 35 must rst be moved downwardly to rest upon the liner sleeves |55 and |56 (Figs. 4 and 6), thus to carry the cordage and individual conductors down to position to be operated upon. Accordingly,

a series of pads 383, 384, 385 and 386 (Fig. 2l)

are carried on the underside of the main stripper plate 289 and these pads will engage the sides of the cord positioning plate 35, thus to compress the supporting plungers |52|52 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) so that the stripper plate assembly 281 and cord positioning plate 28| will move downwardly as a unit until further downward movement of them is blocked by the liner sleeves |55, whereupon, the stripper plate assembly '281 will remain stationary as the ram |3| completes its downward movement. In addition to the pads 383, 384 and 385, the head portion of the press carries a pair of stripping plungers 381 and 388 (Figs. 8 and 21). These stripping plungers 381 and 388are mounted in the block 238, in which they are slidably mounted, being urged downwardly by compression springs 389, one of which is shown in Fig. 14. The plungers 381 and 388 .will engage the terminal member 36, which has been attached to the lefthand conductor 3|. Plungers similar to the plungers 381 and 388 may be provided in alignment with each of the aty y Operation In the operation of the apparatus, a supply of cordage 30, having been cut at the Vpoint where the conductors extend through its braid cover 34 and having been positioned on the plate 35, and supplies of strips of terminals 31, strips of S- hooks 38, and a stay band strip 4| having been placed in the stripper palte assembly 281, the apparatus will be in condition for operation, it being assumed that the various tool adjustments have been made to place the shearing and forming tools in the punch press in position .to perform their operations effectively. After the apparatus has thus been supplied with the material used in its operation, the apparatus may be started. In order to insure that the punch press will function properlyat all times that cord positioning plates are in position therein, to have the cords held thereby equipped with S-hooks, stay bands and terminal members, the punch press motor 02 must be started rst.

The punch press motor |02 having been put in operation, the main driving motor 42 may be started to feed plates 35 to the punch press |0| with the cordage 30 on it as shown in Fig. 2. As the carriage moves into the punch press |0I, the switch ||6 (Fig. 2) will be operated due to the release of the plunger |20 by the camming finger 81 engaging the trip linger |22 and the plunger |20 entering the notch 442, thus to complete a circuit to the press trip solenoid ||5. Operation of the press trip solenoid I5 will cause the punch press to move its ram |3| through one complete cycle, that is, downwardly and upwardly (Fig. l). As the ram |3| moves down, the bell crank levers 239, 300 and 30| will be released by their abutment posts 3|0, 315 Aand 354, respectively, thus permitting their associated springs to retract them to position preparatory to feeding the strip of Shooks 38, the strip of stay bands 4| and the strip of terminal members 31 the next time the ram returns to its uppermost position. As the ram |3| moves downwardly, the stripper plate assembly 211 will be moved with it to engage the pads 383, 384, 385 and 386 with the upper surface of the cord positioning plate 35 after the liner pins |51 and |58 have passed through the liner pin holes 15 and 14, respectively, in the cord positioning plate 35. As the ram |3| 'continues to move downwardly, the stripper plate 281 will push the cord positioning plate 35 down- -wardly to enter the liner pins |51 and |58 into the liner sleeves |55 and |56, thus to properly align the cord positioning plate in the punch press.v The supporting plungers |52 will be depressed against the action of their springs |54 as the plate 35 moves downwardly and thus will prevent the plate from tilting during its downward movement. After the aligning pins |51 and |58 are properly seated in the liner sleeves |55 and |56, the ram |3|, in continuing to move downwardly, will compress the springs 288- (Fig, 4) and thus the stripper plate assembly 281 will remain stationary as the ram |3| completesfits stroke. As soon as the downward movement of the stripper plate assembly 281 is blocked, the cord positioning plate 35 being in its lowermost position at this time, the tools on the tool holder 225 will move relative to the main stripperplate 289. As the stay band shearing tool 233 and the S-hook forming and shearing tool '234 move downwardly, theywill cut the stay bands and the S-hooks from the strips 38 and 4| and will carry a stay band and an S-hook 39 into engagement with the cordage 30. In moving to engagement with the cordage 30, the sheared-off S-hook 39 will have the S-shaped hook.. 212 pushed through between the springs 335 and 33|v (Figs.

15 8 and 13). As the tool holder '226 continues to move down, the forming tools 232 and 234, in cooperation with the forming tools |16 and |11 (Fig. 6) will wrap the sleeves of the stay bands and S-hooks, respectively, around the cordage.

Concurrently With the wrapping of the S-hook and stay band sleeves around the cordage, the terminal cutting tools or punches |6|, |62 and |63 (Figs. 3 and 8) will, in cooperation with the die 231, cut the terminal members 36 apart and the two sets of terminal forming tools on the tool blank |63 and tool 26|! will form the sleeves of the terminal members 36 into gripping engagement with the individual conductors 3|, 32 and 33. In the last fraction of an inch of movement of the die 231 downwardly, the terminal members 36 will carry the conductors 3|, 32 and 33 into engagement with the wire cutting tools or punches |64, |65, |66, |61, |68 and |69, thus to trim the Wire adjacent the sleeve portion of the terminal members 36. In this manner, the S- hooks, stay bands and terminal members will be attached to the cordage and the conductors 3|, 32 and 33 will be cut as the ram |3| completes its downward movement. When the ram moves upwardly, the springs 288 will return the stripper plate assembly 281 to the position shown in Fig. 4 and the plungers |52 will return the cord positioning plate 28| to the position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 4. At the upper end of its travel, the stripper plate assembly 281 will carry the bell crank levers 299, 300 and 30| into engagement with their respective abutment posts and the bell crank levers will thus effect the feeding of predetermined lengths of S-hook strip, stay band strip and terminal strip to the apparatus preparatory to another reciprocation of the ram |3| and immediately thereafter the cam |32 (Fig. 1) will become effective to rock lever |34 clockwise, thereby to push the link |38 in a direction such that it will rock the restoring lever |29 counterclockwise (Fig. 2) and retract the plunger |20 from the notch or socket 89, thus to permit the door check mechanism 18 to return the carriage 16 to the position shown in Fig. 5. Thus the carriage 16 and cord positioning plate 35 will be moved rapidly out of the punch press at the completion of the operation of the press.

What is claimed is 1. An apparatus for attaching metallic elements to electric cords, which comprises a stationary die, a die movable toward and away from the stationary die, a guide plate, means for urging the guide plate away from the movable die, a removable loading frame for holding a conductor in a predetermined position thereon, means for supporting the loading frame between the guide plate and the stationary die, means for urging the loading frame away from the stationary die, means for feeding a metallic element along the guide plate to a position in transverse alignment with a portion of a conductor held by the loading frame, and means for moving the movable die into engagement with the stationary die, said movable die serving as it is so moved to move the guide plate into engagement with the loading frame so that the metallic element is moved into engagement with said portion of the conductor and to move the loading frame to the stationary die so that said portion of the conductor and the metallic element are moved into engagement with the stationary die, whereby the metallic element is fastened to the conductor.

1 2. An appaartus for applying metallic elements to portions of electric cords, which comprises a stationary platen, a movable platen, means for moving the movable platen toward and away from the stationary platen, a guide mounted floatingly on one of said platens and movable by the movable platen for guiding a strip of metallic elements, means for urging the guide away from the platen on which it is mounted, means for locating an electric cord between the guide and one of said platens, tools mounted on the platens for forming around a cord a portion of one metallic element of a strip guided by the guiding means, an escapement feed carried by the guide and having a feed stroke and a return stroke for advancing the strip through the guide, means for urging the feed to effect one of said strokes, and means operable through movement of the guide 'oy the movable platen for moving the escapement feed to effect the other stroke thereof.

3. In an assembling press including means for locating a cord in the press and means for forming a U-shaped band of a metallic element having an S-hook pivotally attached to the band around the cord to clamp the band to the cord, the improvement which comprises means for feeding into the press to a position over a cord located therein such a metallic element having an S-hook thereof'folded back upon the U-shaped band thereof, and a convolute cam for pivoting the S-hook of such an element away from the band thereof as the element is fed into the press by the element-feeding means.

4. In an assembling press including means for locating a cord in the press and means for forming a U-shaped band of a metallic element having an S-hook pivotally attached to the band around the cord to clamp the band to the cord, the improvement which comprises means for feeding into the press to a position over a cord located therein such a metallic element having an S-hook thereof folded back upon the U-shaped band thereof, cam means for pivoting the S-hook of such an element away from the band thereof as the element is fed into the press by the elementfeeding means, and means for resiliently supporting the S-hook when the element is moved to said position over 'the cord.

5. In an assembling press including means for locating a cord in the press and means for shearing a U-shaped bandv of a metallic element having an S-hook pivotally attached to the band from a strip of such elements and forming the band around the cord to clamp the band to the cord, the improvement which comprises a guideway for guiding such a strip into the press, means for feeding along the guideway such a strip having S-hooks thereof folded back upon the U- shaped bands thereof, and an elongated convolute cam for pivoting the s-hooks of the elements away from the bands thereof as the strip is fed along the guideway by the strip-feeding means, a portion of said cam having a thin edge designed to project between the S-hooks and the bands to separate the adjacent portions of the S-hooks and the bands.

6. In an assembling press including means for locating a cord in the press and means for forming into a cylinder around the cord a U-shaped band of a metallic element having an S-hook pivotally attached to the band, the improvement which comprises means for feeding into the press to a position over a cord located therein such a metallic element having lthe S-hook thereof folded back upon the U-shaped banclv thereof, means for pivoting the S-hook of such an element away from the band thereof as the element is fed to the press by the element-feeding means, and a pair of resilient ngers for supporting the S-hook when the element is moved to said position over the cord so that the hook does not interfere with the application of the band to the cord.

CARL J. HACKBARTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 18 UNITED STATES PATENTS- Name Date Bingham Sept. `6, 1921 Armitage July 24, 1922 Liss Jan. 14, 1930 Bari-ans June 24, 1930 Holmes et a1. Aug. 23, 1932 Allison Dec. 17, 1935 Keller Aug. 15, 1939 Behrens Dec, 30, 1941 Keller Jan. 18, 1944 Andren Feb. 1, 1944 Sirp Mar. 16, 1948 

